Lamp holder



ATKlN 2 Sheets-s 1 NVENTO [Jo/v 5, 4

Jan. 22, 1963 ATKlN 3,075,168

LAMP HOLDER Filed Sept. 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 is "M. n. 57

3,075,163 LAMP HOLDER Leonard Atkin, Springfield, N-BZ, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Stonco Electric Froducts Company, Kerrilworth, NJ, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 838,986 4 Qlaims. (Cl. 339-180) This invention relates generally to electric lamp holders and particularly to holders for electric lamps commonly known as reflector flood or spot lamps.

Heretofore, holders of the latter type have frequently been formed as relatively deep, bell-shaped cups having bottom portions to which lamp sockets were fastened. Due to the inaccessibility of these bottom portions, it has been difiicult and time consuming to assemble the sockets in many of the conventionally formed holders. Moreover, in such holders it has been found desirable to support the socket in combination with a helical spring arranged annularly of the socket. However, here again, in conventional holders it has been difficult to adjust the means for retaining such spring since the retaining means is commonly adjustable and disposed entirely within the aforesaid inaccessible portions of the holders.

Furthermore, the lamp sockets heretofore employed in such holders have made little or no allowance for proper seating of the lamp in the event of substantial misalignment of the socketa condition which was all too probable by reason of the above-mentioned inaccessibility of the area in which the socket was located.

To remedy these problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lamp holder wherein the lamp socket may be easily and quickly assembled and disassembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a lamp holder employing a cup portion formed as a single element and provided with simple means for retaining the socket therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide externally accessible means for adjustably retaining the aforesaid socket within said cup portion.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved means for seating such a lamp in its socket within the aforesaid cup portion.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a lamp holder which is simple in design and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other and more specific objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description as read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of this embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken from the rear of the form of the invention depicted in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded sectional view of the aforesaid embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view illustrating various components of the invention in assembled position;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken about the line 66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken about the line 77 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the socket seating means employed in the said embodiment of the invention.

As may be seen in FIGURES l, 2 and 3, the aforesaid embodiment of the invention comprises a bell-shaped cup, generally designated by the numeral III and provided with a plurality of annular cooling vanes 11. The said cup is Bfl'ldjhd Patented Jan. 22, I963 ice also provided with four vanes 12, 13, I4, 15 which are directed radially of the closed end or base 16 of the cup at intervals of degrees, as may be seen in FIGURE 3, and then extend to the vicinity of its mouth 17. The vanes 12, 13, 14, 15 are inclined with respect to the external periphery of the cup and are perpendicular to and interrupt the aforesaid annular ribs 11, as may be seen in FIGURES l and 2. A depending ear 18 including a threaded hole 38 is also formed integrally with the said cup, the said ear communicating with the interior of the cup by way of an aperture 18a provided in the wall of the cup.

An important feature of the invention includes means adjustable exteriorly of the cup, such as the screws 19 threadedly engaged in' oppositely disposed inclined vanes 12, 14. As may be seen in FIGURE 2, these vanes 12, 14 are provided with bosses 20 which serve to seat the heads of said screws.

As may be best seen in FIGURES 4-, 5 and 6, these screws extend through the wall of the cup and emerge therefrom at the base of grooves 21 provided on the internal periphery of said wall. As may also be seen in FIGURES 4 through 8, inclusive, each of these grooves extends from the inner surface 22 of the base of the cup to the vicinity of its mouth. In the vicinity of the base of the cup, each of the grooves is provided with a pair of walls 23, which project from the internal periphery of the cup and which are provided with offset portions 24- and shoulders 245:. A detailed view of this structure may be seen in FIGURE 8. The functions of these walls, ofliset portions and shoulders will be hereinafter described.

A cylindrical socket, generally designated by the numeral 25, is also employed in the embodiment of the invention herein described. This socket is preferably of conventional design, having a porcelain body, an electrically conductive threaded metallic sleeve 2d, a contact member 27 and suitable electric terminals 28. At the base of the socket there is also provided a cross-bar 29 which is suitably secured to the socket, as by bolts 30 which extend through the cross-bar and the aforesaid porcelain body into threaded engagement with nuts 31. Each end of the cross-bar projects radially of the socket and has a pair of shoulders 32 and a projecting tongue 33 disposed centrally between said shoulders.

These tongues are slidably received within the grooves 21, where each of the tongues is disposed between one of the pairs of walls 23 and the cross-bar is seated upon the shoulders 24a of the Walls.

The shoulders 32 of the cross-bar are abuttable against the oiiset portions of the walls, thereby limiting lateral displacement of the cross-bar and socket attached thereto.

A coil spring 34 is disposed intermediately of the external periphery of the socket and the offset portions 24 of said pairs of walls. The said spring has a substantially frusto-conical conformation. Its smallest coil 35 is seated upon the aforesaid cross-bar and its largest coil 36 is seated against the screws 19, thereby retaining the crossbar and socket within the base of the cup.

With this arrangement, the socket is resiliently retained within the cup whereby said socket is capable of considerable movement with respect to the axis of the cup. If it be desired to remove the spring and socket for any purpose, it is only necessary to rotate the screws 19 to a position wherein their threaded portions do not project beyond the sides of the grooves 21, thereby clearing the coil spring and permitting withdrawal thereof from the cup. Since the coil spring acts as the means for retaining the cross-bar and socket within the cup, the withdrawal of the coil spring also permits withdrawal of the aforesaid socket and cross-bar from the cup.

awards" adjustable from the exterior of the cup, as by engagement oftheir slotted heads with a conventional screw-driver.

Assembly of the device merely involves sliding the cross-bar into the grooves, the socket being mounted on the cross-bar, and then disposing the coil spring on the cross-bar, as aforesaid, and adjusting the screws against the coil spring in the position shown in FIGURES 5 and 6.

With the foregoing arrangement, a lamp, such as is conventionally used for lighting purposes and having a body of substantially conical conformation, may be threadedly received in the socket. The body of said lamp may rest against the rim 37, composed of an asbestos or other similar cushioning heat-resistant material, in which position said lamp will be springably supported by reason of the action of the coil spring which urges said lamp against displacement from the cup as a result of the spring bias against the aforesaid screws and cross-bar.

Suitable electrical conductors may be introduced through aperture 18a, and aifixed to terminals 23, which are depicted in FIGURE 7 and the cup as a whole may be pivotably aifixed by attachment of the ear 18 to a suitable bracket, said attachment being accomplished in conjunction with a suitable threaded member engaged with threaded hole 33.

As may be seen from the foregoing, the invention accomplishes its objects in a simple and effective manner. The various components of the invention may be quickly assembled and disassembled simply by appropriate adjust ent of the screws so as to etlect retention of the spring and socket or permit their displacement from the cup in the manner aforesaid. Said screws are externally accessible and externally adjustable, as hereinabove indicated. Moreover, the socket is seated by simple means and the yieldability of the spring, as well as its trustoconical conformation permits maximum pivotal movement of the socket, thereby permitting it to adjust itself to any variations in lamp configuration and to other factors which might otherwise tend to tilt the socket out of coaxial alignment with the cup. 7 The embodiment of the invention illustrated and described hereinabove has been selected for the purpose of clearly setting forth the principles involved. It will be apparent, however, that the present invention is susceptible to being modified in respect to details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which may be resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a lamp holder having a bell-shaped cup, the cornbination comprising: an electric socket provided with a cross-bar disposed at the base of said socket and projecting radially thereof; each end of said cross-bar being formed with a pair of shoulders and a projecting tongue disposed centrally between said shoulders; said tongues being slidably received in grooves formed in the inner periphery of said bell-shaped cup; each of said grooves extending from the base of the cup to the vicinity of its mouth and being provided with a pair of walls; said pair of walls having an offset portion and shoulders; each end portion of the cross-bar being seated upon the shoulders of one of said pairs of Walls; the shoulders of said crossbar being abuttable against the offset portions of said pairs of walls; each of said tongues of said cross-bar being disposed intermediately of one of said pairs of walls; a frusto-conical spring disposed annularly of said socket and contactable with said cross-bar, said spiral spring urging said cross-bar against displacement from said cup, the large end of said spring being seated against radially adjustable means disposed in the wall of said cup; said radially adjustable means also being exposed for adjustment exteriorly of said cup.

, .2. In a lamp holder having a bell-shaped cup, the combination comprising: an electric socket provided with a cross-bar disposed at the base of said socket and projecting radially thereof; each end of said cross-bar being formed with a pair of shoulders and a projecting tongue disposed centrally between said shoulders; said tongues eing slidably received in grooves formed in the inner periphery of said bell-shaped cup; each of said grooves being provided with a pair of Walls; said pair of walls having an offset portion and shoulders; each end portion of the cross-bar being seated upon the shoulders of one of said pairs of walls; the shoulders of said cross-bar be-' ing abuttable against the oifset portions of said pairs of walls; each of said tongues of said cross-bar being disposed intermediately of one of said pairs of walls; a spiral spring disposed between said socket and the inner periphery of said bell-shaped'cup, said spring having a substantially frusto-conical conformation, the smallest coil of said spring being seated upon said cross-bar and urging said cross-bar against displacement from said cup, the largest coil of said spring being seated against radially adjustable means disposed in the wall of said cup; said radially adjustable means also being exposed exteriorly of said cup.

3. In a lamp holder having a bell-shaped cup, the com-- bination comprising: an electric socket provided with a cross-bar disposed at the base of said socket and projecting radially thereof; each end of said cross-bar being formed with a pair of shoulders and a projecting tongue disposed centrally between said shoulders; said tongues being slidably received in grooves formed in the inner periphery of said bell-shaped cup; each of said grooves being provided with a pair of walls; said pair of walls having an offset portion and shoulders; each end portion of the cross-bar being seated upon the shoulders of one of said pairs of walls; the shoulders of said cross-bar being abuttable against the ofiset portions of said pairs of walls; each of said tongues of said cross-bar being disposed intermediately of one of siad pairs of walls; a spiral spring disposed between said socket and the inner periphery of said bell-shaped cup, said spring having a substantially frusto-conical conformation, the smallest coil of said spring being seated upon said cross-bar and urging said cross-bar against displacement from said cup, the largest coil of said spring being seated against a pair of radially adjustable screws threadedly engaged with the Wall of said cup, the threaded portions of said screws projecting radially inwardly from the internal periphery of said cup; the heads of said screws being disposed exteriorly of said cup.

4. In a lamp holder having a bell-shaped cup, the combination comprising: an electric socket provided with a cross-bar disposed at the base of said socket and projecting radially thereof; each end of said cross-bar being formed with a pair or" shoulders and a projecting tongue disposed centrally between said shoulders; said tongues being slidably received in grooves formed in the inner periphery of said bell-shaped cup; each of said grooves extending from the base of the cup to the vicinity of its mouth and being provided with a pair of walls; said pair of walls having an offset portion and shoulders adjacent the cup base; each end portion of the cross-bar being seated upon the shoulders of one of said pairs of walls; the shoulders of said cross-bar being abuttable against the ofiset portions of said pairs of Walls; each of said tongues of said cross-bar being disposed intermediatcly of one of said pairs of walls; a spiral spring disposed between. said socket and the inner periphery of said bellshaped cup, said spring having a substantially frustoconical conformation, the smallest coil of said spring being seated upon said cross-bar and urging said cross-bar against displacement from said cup, the largest coil of said spring being seated against a pair of radially adjustable screws threadedly engaged with the wall of said cup, the threaded portions of said screws projecting radially inwardly from the internal periphery of said cup; the heads 'of's'aid screws being disposed'exter'iorly otsaid cup; the

said cup being provided with a plurality of inclined vanesformed on the external periphery thereof, at least two of said vanes being provided with a boss, the heads of said screws being seated upon said bosses.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kerwin Sept. 16, 1924 

1. IN A LAMP HOLDER HAVING A BELL-SHAPED CUP, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: AN ELECTRIC SOCKET PROVIDED WITH A CROSS-BAR DISPOSED AT THE BASE OF SAID SOCKET AND PROJECTING RADIALLY THEREOF; EACH END OF SAID CROSS-BAR BEING FORMED WITH A PAIR OF SHOULDERS AND A PROJECTING TONGUE DISPOSED CENTRALLY BETWEEN SAID SHOULDERS; SAID TONGUES BEING SLIDABLY RECEIVED IN GROOVES FORMED IN THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID BELL-SHAPED CUP; EACH OF SAID GROOVES EXTENDING FROM THE BASE OF THE CUP TO THE VICINITY OF ITS MOUTH AND BEING PROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF WALLS; SAID PAIR OF WALLS HAVING AN OFFSET PORTION AND SHOULDERS; EACH END PORTION OF THE CROSS-BAR BEING SEATED UPON THE SHOULDERS OF ONE OF SAID PAIRS OF WALLS; THE SHOULDERS OF SAID CROSSBAR BEING ABUTTABLE AGAINST THE OFFSET PORTIONS OF SAID PAIRS OF WALLS; EACH OF SAID TONGUES OF SAID CROSS-BAR BEING DISPOSED INTERMEDIATELY OF ONE OF SAID PAIRS OF WALLS; A FRUSTO-CONICAL SPRING DISPOSED ANNULARLY OF SAID SOCKET AND CONTACTABLE WITH SAID CROSS-BAR, SAID SPIRAL SPRING URGING SAID CROSS-BAR AGAINST DISPLACEMENT FROM SAID CUP, THE LARGE END OF SAID SPRING BEING SEATED AGAINST RADIALLY ADJUSTABLE MEANS DISPOSED IN THE WALL OF SAID CUP; SAID RADIALLY ADJUSTABLE MEANS ALSO BEING EXPOSED FOR ADJUSTMENT EXTERIORLY OF SAID CUP. 